Last Modified: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 1:45 a.m.

Author Kelley Zeringue is pictured Nov. 12, 2012, at her home. Zeringue, also a kidney donor, writes Christian romance novels. She and her family will be on “American Bible Challenge.”

MARC GOLDEN | GADSDEN TIMES | FILE

The Zeringue trio, known on the show as Team Hello Kidney, will compete on the show's second season to help benefit a charity near to Zeringue's heart, the National Living Donor Assistance Center.

“I think it's a unique show because you aren't playing for yourself, but playing for others,” Zeringue said. “I want to get the word out how wonderful it feels to save someone's life by becoming a living donor.”

The story of how she became a living donor begins with J.R. Zeringue, her husband. He owns several gyms throughout the Southeast, and when he purchased another in Murfreesboro, Tenn., a few years ago, he and his wife went to meet their new employees. During this initial meeting, Kelley noticed something different about the members of the staff.

Zeringue noticed that a young man, Matt McCallum, had scars all over his arms. After speaking with him, she learned a urinary tract infection McCallum contracted at age 7 left his kidneys ravaged. By age 20, McCallum was on dialysis and was told he had only 10 to 15 years left on Earth. None of his family could donate to help him.

When Zeringue met him, he was 24. As she went to bed that night, she knew her life had changed.

“I felt in my heart that I would be a match and give him a kidney,” Zeringue said. “I felt like God put it on my heart.”

She was a perfect match, better than typical siblings, doctors said. McCallum's new kidney started working even before he left the operating room.

McCallum is 26 now and lives a completely healthy life thanks to Zeringue's gift to a complete stranger.

He isn't a stranger anymore, though. Zeringue said he is more like a son to her now.

“He has a part of me in him, so it's pretty close,” Zeringue said. “He's happy as can be.”

The pair posted a video on YouTube telling their story. After some media exposure about the video, Zeringue received a call from the show's producers, asking her if she wanted to be a contestant, along with her family.

The show's format will pit Team Hello Kidney against two other teams of three, quizzing them on their knowledge of the Good Book. She said they all know the Bible pretty well, but she believes her son, Rene Zeringue, who's a youth pastor at Ohatchee Church of Christ, will carry their team.

“We're good about studying our Bible,” Zeringue said about herself and her husband. “But he's religious about it.”

The American Bible Challenge will begin its second season at 8 p.m. March 21 on the Game Show Network. The show is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy.

<p>Kelley Zeringue is a Christian romance author in Gadsden, and her son and husband are joining her to show off their biblical knowledge on Game Show Network's “American Bible Challenge.”</p><p>The Zeringue trio, known on the show as Team Hello Kidney, will compete on the show's second season to help benefit a charity near to Zeringue's heart, the National Living Donor Assistance Center. </p><p>“I think it's a unique show because you aren't playing for yourself, but playing for others,” Zeringue said. “I want to get the word out how wonderful it feels to save someone's life by becoming a living donor.”</p><p>The story of how she became a living donor begins with J.R. Zeringue, her husband. He owns several gyms throughout the Southeast, and when he purchased another in Murfreesboro, Tenn., a few years ago, he and his wife went to meet their new employees. During this initial meeting, Kelley noticed something different about the members of the staff.</p><p>Zeringue noticed that a young man, Matt McCallum, had scars all over his arms. After speaking with him, she learned a urinary tract infection McCallum contracted at age 7 left his kidneys ravaged. By age 20, McCallum was on dialysis and was told he had only 10 to 15 years left on Earth. None of his family could donate to help him.</p><p>When Zeringue met him, he was 24. As she went to bed that night, she knew her life had changed.</p><p>“I felt in my heart that I would be a match and give him a kidney,” Zeringue said. “I felt like God put it on my heart.”</p><p>She was a perfect match, better than typical siblings, doctors said. McCallum's new kidney started working even before he left the operating room.</p><p>McCallum is 26 now and lives a completely healthy life thanks to Zeringue's gift to a complete stranger.</p><p>He isn't a stranger anymore, though. Zeringue said he is more like a son to her now.</p><p>“He has a part of me in him, so it's pretty close,” Zeringue said. “He's happy as can be.”</p><p>The pair posted a video on YouTube telling their story. After some media exposure about the video, Zeringue received a call from the show's producers, asking her if she wanted to be a contestant, along with her family.</p><p>The show's format will pit Team Hello Kidney against two other teams of three, quizzing them on their knowledge of the Good Book. She said they all know the Bible pretty well, but she believes her son, Rene Zeringue, who's a youth pastor at Ohatchee Church of Christ, will carry their team.</p><p>“We're good about studying our Bible,” Zeringue said about herself and her husband. “But he's religious about it.”</p><p>The American Bible Challenge will begin its second season at 8 p.m. March 21 on the Game Show Network. The show is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy.</p>